For those who are not total zoning nerds (or former City Planning interns):

The Preliminary Land Development Plan (PLDP) is the technical
document required under the City of Pittsburgh Zoning Code for large
development areas. The PLDP establishes a set of requirements for
accomplishing the Vision of the project and the conditions outlined in
the Special Plan District (SPD) zoning. The PLDP includes sections
identified as Regulating Plans which describe the requirements for
streets, blocks, buildings and Open Spaces. The PLDP also includes the
requirements and goals for the sustainable development of the site and
the design standards for private and public right of way improvements.

When a specific project is identified within the SPD district a Final
Land Development Plan (FLDP) submission is prepared for public input
and approval by the Planning Commission. The FLDP provides specific
information about the building or project and identifies materials, uses
and related information such as parking and signage. The FLDP must be
consistent with and conforming to the SPD and PLDP.

We actually received a copy for review a couple of weeks ago, but I was not sure if it was intended for public circulation and was able to confirm today that it is now a public document.

I will be publishing our initial comments on the document in the next couple of days. Still working on a few points. There is additional information that needs to be provided - the list of proposed uses, square footages, traffic study, parking numbers, etc. Most of what is here is focused on the physical form and envelope of the development - e.g. what are the maximums that they are asking to be able to build.

Please review and send us YOUR comments as well. We want to compile them on an on-going basis and incorporate them into the community commentary. You can e-mail comments to: info@enrightpark.org.

Friday, August 19, 2016

It has been very quiet this summer on the blog and social media in general. Part of this is because little has been happening that we are aware of, part because summer tends to take its toll on schedules, and part of it is because we were all so damned tired from the previous eight plus months of being in the midst of this process on top of our other commitments - full time jobs, spouses, children, extended family, other volunteer work, etc.

Now that the anchor tenant has been announced, we understand that the developer will be looking to apply for approvals this fall. We will be sharing plans as they become available publicly, and we are developing our concerns and how to get answers. We encourage you to reach out and submit your concerns and questions. Please e-mail us at: enright.park@gmail.com. We can't promise you a speedy response (see jobs, family. etc above), but we will look to compile the commentary that we receive to include in the community feedback.

We have three key points that we want to move forward:

Incorporate affordable housing into the former Penn Plaza site that can be inclusive of the East Liberty/East End community, and which promotes a diversity of income, age, gender, and race as the heart of a healthy community

Ensure that the highest quality public space is maintained and developed with the East Liberty community in mind

Ensure that the development is compatible with the existing community, both in terms of the built environment of the community and the shared vision/values of the community

Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be using this blog to explore how we believe that each of these goals can be advanced through design and advocacy, and why they are so very very important to establishing the future of East Liberty.

About Enright Park

Enright Park Neighborhood Association is comprised of homeowners, renters, public housing residents, and landlords who live in close proximity to Enright Parklet in Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood.

In recent years, we have seen a dramatic transformation of our community, which has resulted in the on-going displacement of our friends and neighbors. This displacement has disproportionately impacted people of color, seniors living on fixed incomes, low-income working families, and the many ways in which these groups intersect.

The Enright Park Neighborhood Association was established to advance the joint causes of affordable housing, public open space, and an inclusive approach to planning and development that will build and enhance a livable East Liberty for everyone in our community. We intend to win a better East Liberty for everyone, and to help set a new standard self-determination for our communities.

Please join us, and let us know how we can support and promote your voice too. For membership information, please complete the form here.

For more information, including media, please contact us at enright.park@gmail.com.